Hi, I'm Lau Nau. I live on an island on the West Coast of Finland composing music in a pink wooden house and traveling a lot playing concerts.
When and how did you start to create the music?
I started making music of my own when I was a teenager. I had a very lo-fi and do-it-yourself attitude when I started recording and I still have the same attitude left even though I hope I have refined it on the way. I made music with my friends for several years in different bands before I made my first solo record, and I noticed I need both ways of expression: both making music on my own and interacting with others.
I heard you are making a new record just now. How is it going? Do you have a concept for the new record?
Yes, I'm recording a new album that I am very excited about. It is going to sound different than my other albums, because there is a lot of piano, keyboards and string instruments and no guitar, but I think it has the same sensitivity as my very first albums, the light feeling even though I tend to write melancholic songs. Just now I think it's going to be the most beautiful of all of my albums. I have been recording it with my friend Matti Bye, who is a wonderful musician and composer, and recording with him has influenced the soundscapes of the album quite a lot. Slowly my other friends, Helena Espvall, Pekko Kappi will be adding their layers to the music so the album will be a beautiful cooperation again.
What inspires you to create new music?
It's the people that I work with, thinkers, poets, books and films, different film and theatre projects, and especially the people I play music with. Just now I'm also exploring a lot of contemporary classical and synth music.
Your recent records were released from Fonal Records. What is Fonal Records for you?
Sami, who runs Fonal, and the bands on the label create a family of friends so first of all the label has meant to me a home, a comfortable place. Fonal is one of the very few Finnish labels that has found many followers abroad, so I have been lucky to be part of it. Also releasing my first albums on the Chicago label Locust Music helped me to connect with my fans in USA. Fonal is still a fresh breeze amongst all the record labels, and I guess that's because Sami runs it with a big heart.
You have some music projects and bands (Chamellows, Hertta Lussu Assa, Maailma, and etc). I love them as well! What other project or collaboration have you done recently?
Recently this summer me, Kuupuu and Tsembla rehearsed and played a show together under the name of IAX and I think it sounded just wonderful! So that's a project we are going to continue working with. Also I have a new band (that has no name yet) with Linda Fredriksson, Samuli Kosminen and Matti Bye with whom we play scores to silent films, and we are going to do a record. I have also been excited about the silent film shows I have played with my Lau Nau band (me + Antti Tolvi, Niko Karlsson, Jaakko Tolvi, Pentti Dassum and Pekko Kappi).
You will come to Japan soon. I can't wait! I think this will be your second time visiting Japan. What do you think about Japan?
Arigato, I'm so excited to be back there! This will be actually the third time I play in Japan so you can guess already that I really love traveling there. The most important thing to me is the people, I'm happy to know so wonderful friends there. Also the nature, food and onsens...
Do you have any Japanese favorite artists?
Tetutzi Akiyama, Asuna, the medium necks, Naoto Yamagishi, meso meso, Helll, Shugo Tokumaru... I hope to find more amazing music during this tour.
Can you tell me any Finish artists who you recommend?
There's too many to mention. Happily I will be touring in Japan with one of them, Tsembla!
Please let me know your plan in the near future.
I'm composing music for two theatre pieces this autumn and started doing a soundtrack for a film that will take a long time to be finished. But the Lau Nau album I'm working on shouldn't take too long now before it's ready. So I'm waiting eagerly that I could let people to hear it!
Please give a message to Japanese fans!
I have been missing you, so great to see you soon!
INTERVIEW in September 2016
TRANSLATED by Naoko Yamada
TEXT by Masato Hoshino